Diarrhea is not discussed in respectable circles, but here on my open blog, there are no secrets. This is the first time in my life that I have no secrets (maybe one) I can think of, and I feel lighter and more peaceful than at any point in my life.

Diarrhea is something familiar to most dog lovers, although most people can’t or don’t wish to write about it. Anybody with a dog is familiar with elimination issues,  especially with puppies. But diarrhea is unique – the smell, the mess – on the nerves.

I am proud of my long and deep experience cleaning up after diarrhea (we diarrhea survivors ought to start an online support group.)

I have spray cans of odor neutralizers, stain remover, and Lysol disinfectant always at hand, along with disposal bags,  and thin, multi-ply paper towels. (Hint: you will regret it if you use tissues or thin paper towels.) If I’m not horrified, I try to time myself.

My average clean-up time is 30 seconds, this morning was a bit more complex, it took me 45 seconds to a minute.

I put on rubber gloves if they are handy, wet paper towels, scarf up diarrhea in them, apply liberal doses of disinfectant and Odor Off, and then more wiping.

Diarrhea has its own, especially revolting smell; I knew coming down the stairs this morning that it had struck Zinnia once more.

All dogs have accidents when they are young, but waiting for diarrhea to strike is the dog equivalent of a small but very messy ticking bomb. When your puppy has diarrhea, there are few relaxing moments.

As we learned with Gus, there are much worse things to get. Diarrhea won’t kill anybody, but last night, at 4 a.m., and then again at 7 a.m., and then again at 10 a.m., the thought crossed my mind. It’s not the best way to wake up in the morning.

Vets get alarmed about it, but I personally have never known or heard of a dog who died from it (I’m sure it happens.)

Diarrhea is most often quite simple; it’s not a big deal but a disgusting one. We’ve lost more than one carpet to diarrhea over the years.

It usually appears in otherwise healthy dogs due to some dietary mistakes. Diarrhea is common in Boston Terriers and Labs (aren’t we lucky) because these dogs will put just about anything in their mouths and eat it.

On a farm with chickens, outdoor barn cats, mice, donkeys, and sheep, diarrhea is not a rare occurrence. Zinnia had diarrhea on Thursday – she had the decency to yelp to get outside –  and we started the usual regimen of probiotic powders, hamburger, and cooked chicken.

I’m not sure what triggered it, but I did see her licking at a chicken dropping, explosive in her nine-week-old body.

Since then, it’s been up and down, some solid stools, this morning an explosive burst in her crate.  Today’s burst was a good one; it took out the mat and a bunch of cleaned marrow bones and toys. I could smell it from the moment I got out of bed.

Zinnia had barked to get out; I thought she was just being annoying. The good news is that I am confident she is housebroken, an excellent turn for a nine-week-old puppy. The other good news is that we took out the partition in her crate Friday so the damage could have been worse.

I take diarrhea seriously if the dog stops eating, gets lethargic, or starts vomiting. Zinnia is her usual active self, eats like a large horse, and is eager to play with Bud (Fate won’t buy it yet.)

At the same time, this morning’s burst brought her on-and-off diarrhea into it’s the fourth day, so we’re going to the vet this afternoon.

When I first moved to this town, the vet wouldn’t bother to see the dog if the problem was diarrhea. Hamburgers and rice, call me in a few days.

Vets are getting more and more like human doctors, and they like tests, stool samples, pills, and packets. This round of diarrhea will be a $200 experience before it’s over, at least.

And I’d bet she’ll be fine in a day or two.

She has no alarming symptoms or severe side effects. But this isn’t something I need to gamble on. Being on a farm raises some risks. Chronic diarrhea can be caused by allergies or parasites (Giardia, hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms, as well as other diseases.)

Modern medicine tests for the possible, not the likely. Nobody wants to be responsible for guessing. We live in a world of hysteria and alarms but I do take de-hydration seriously, perhaps because I have to worry about it myself.

That makes veterinary care too expensive for many people to use, which is bad news for dogs. Farm dogs rarely, if ever, see a vet.

My breeder’s dogs are very healthy, so I’m going with parasites or chicken poop.

I go along with this because there is a 2 or 3 percent chance it might be serious.  Zinnia is drinking a lot of water so I’m not worried about de-hydration.

But she is young, and her digestive and immune systems are still evolving.  Living on Bedlam Farm, her immune system will get stronger.

If I went to the vet every time my other Lab Lenore had diarrhea, I would have run out of money quickly.